Did You Eat Cinnamon Rolls & Chili As a Kid? [POLL]
Did you grow up with Cinnamon Rolls and Chili? If so, you may have grown up in the midwest! In the search for where this regional affectation came from, I found several different alleged origin stories. Make sure to vote in the poll below and let us know if this was a school lunch or homemade treat of yours.
For those outside of the midwest region, the combination may seem absurd, but there is a little science behind it! Cinnamon brings out the natural flavors in chili and makes them taste more rich. In fact, there is a debate among chili aficionados about the inclusion of cinnamon directly into the mixture.
As for the cinnamon roll aspect, one source says that the combination was originally called a "Logger's Breakfast," where those working in the logging industry would take the leftovers from dinner, make chili, and dump it on the morning's cinnamon rolls for extra calories to make it through the day, though I couldn't find any hard evidence of that.
A listener mentioned the Nebraska chain Runza, which is famous for their chili and cinnamon rolls, so getting them both together seemed a natural combination. The reach of this special treat seems to reach the states of Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and surrounding edges of those states. One listener even said it was a treat in Louisiana!
What do you think? Does this combination sound delicious or disgusting to you? Did you grow up in the midwest or one of the coasts? Let us know on Facebook and vote in the poll above to make your voice heard!